


The Untold Truth of The Nutcracker

by Green_Arrows_of_Karamel (Mare9548)



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - The Nutcracker Fusion, F/M, Goodbye Olicity online gift exchange
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-04
Updated: 2020-02-04
Packaged: 2021-02-26 10:02:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22474909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mare9548/pseuds/Green_Arrows_of_Karamel
Summary: On Christmas Day, Felicity and Oliver reveal a well-kept secret to their son, William.
Relationships: Oliver Queen/Felicity Smoak
Comments: 10
Kudos: 30
Collections: The Oliver/Felicity Fanfiction Archive





	The Untold Truth of The Nutcracker

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CaptainSammyAngel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainSammyAngel/gifts).

> This fic was written as part of the Goodbye Olicity Online Gift Exchange.
> 
> When I got my assignment, I was super thrilled because I ADORE the tale of the nutcracker. I struggled to figure out how to do it with the limited time I had because Sammy is right, the plot isn't easy to work out, and I'm a slow writer so the fic couldn't be too long or it wouldn't have been ready in time. This might not be what she fully expect but, hopefully, it will fulfill all her requests. 
> 
> For this fic, you should know that Oliver and Felicity are a little older than in the show, they've been married for many years, and William is the biological son of both.
> 
> PS: this wasn't beta'ed so mistakes are all mine 😝

On the morning of December 25, the weak winter sun is barely visible on the horizon. Despite the early hour, in the Smoak household, there is already joyful activity going on. It cannot be another way since this day has a remarkable meaning for the family, more than for any other. It's Christmas Day but also the fourth night of Hanukkah, and there's one more reason, too.

The happy giggles of 4-year-old Mia reach her parents' bedroom. Felicity smiles, lying on the bed and using her husband's chest as a pillow. Oliver chuckles when the voice of their 14-year-old son, William, begs his sister to be quiet, to wait for mom and dad. 

"I think Mia just found that Santa came last night," Oliver murmurs.

"Probably," Felicity chuckles.

"We should get up before she opens the presents. I don't think William can dissuade her not to for long."

Felicity smirks at Oliver's true words. William is great and has never-ending patience with her little sister. He couldn't be a better older brother. Nonetheless, William also spoils her rotten and Mia has excellent argumentative skills to which he can't —or won't— fight against. When William is in charge, what Mia wants, Mia gets. Only Felicity and Oliver are able to reign their daughter's whims.

"That would be on you, my love," Felicity teases, tilting her head up to look at her husband's face. "Our daughter inherited your stubbornness," she grins when Oliver narrows his eyes slightly, affronted. Diverting his comeback, Felicity moves to do something that will distract him for sure. 

"And before we get up…"

Felicity leans up on an elbow and hovers her face close to Oliver's, their mouths almost touching. She has been married to Oliver over a decade and a half and, still, her heart beats faster when they are this close. The intense gaze of his eyes, full of love and desire, let her know that he feels the same. The closeness is almost unbearable.

"I forgot to tell you… Happy anniversary," she whispers before nibbling Oliver's lower lip. 

It works like a charm. Whatever he was going to say to her is instantly forgotten. Oliver moans and puts a hand on the back of her nape as he deepens the kiss. He brushes his tongue against her lips, coaxing them to grant him access. When Felicity parts them, Oliver explores her mouth with ardor. The erotic dance of their tongues reminds Felicity of the way Oliver so often makes love to her, just the way he did a handful of minutes ago. A choreography that goes from languid, enthralling moves to an upbeat dancing, one that transports them both to the highest peak of ecstasy.

This morning, however, their journey to ultimate bliss for a second time comes to an abrupt end. A shrilly complaint coming from downstairs jolts them apart with a unison groan. 

"Later?" Oliver asks in a low, husky voice. More than a question, it's a promise.

A promise that melts Felicity on the inside and heats up the blood in her veins. "Later," she vows.

After their morning ablutions, Oliver and Felicity go downstairs and find Mia with a tragic, but absolutely cute, expression on her face. Obviously, she's put out at her brother's refusal to let her open the presents. For his part, William sags on the couch relieved, as he watches mom and dad coming down the stairs.

"Good morning, mom! Merry Christmas, dad!" he says. 

"Mommy! Daddy!" Mia yells and sprints toward them, her blonde curls bouncing at the upbeat pace of her small feet. Without missing a beat, she launches herself to Oliver's waiting arms. After wrapping her arm around his neck and her legs around his waist, holding herself tight to him, Mia twists in her father's embrace. She leans toward Felicity to hug her just as tight.

"Mommy, can I open the presents now, please, please, please, pleeeease?!"

"Of course, baby. Let's see what Santa brought you."

The girl squirms out of Oliver's arms and lets out an excited screech as she runs toward the tree. The shrill sound undeniably tells that Mia is her grandmother's grandkid. Only Donna and Mia can produce such a sound. 

Half an hour later, the living room is littered with toys, new clothes, and other gifts in a sea of ripped wrapping papers. Apparently, everyone was on Santa's good list this year. 

"There's one more," William announces mysteriously, straightening up from his crouch by the tree. He has a 3-for-4-inch box on his hand. "This is from me to Mia."

She gasps, her eyes bright with emotion. "Thanks, Will!"

Mia wastes the minimum time to hug her big brother before ripping the package open with an almost-indecent voracity.

"Aww, I love it!" 

William smiles, pleased that he chose the gift well, looking at Mia. He misses the surprised glance shared by his parents. Neither Felicity nor Oliver dare to say what they're thinking. Felicity can see in her husband's eyes the same dumbstruck disbelief that she feels watching the plushy nutcracker that William gifted her sister.

_ It has to be a coincidence, _ Felicity thinks. Oliver shrugs almost imperceptibly as if he'd picked up her thoughts. 

There's something the kids ignore about their dad, something about his previous life. He had hoped to tell them when they are older.

Both Felicity and Oliver have to shake their semi-panicked state away when Mia plops herself between them on the couch. "Daddy, can we eat choco-pancakes for breakfast?"

"Of course, kiddo. Why don't you and William go to the pantry and fetch what we need? I'll be right behind you."

"C'mon, Mia," William says, "I'll race you." 

Mia sprints after his brother with her new nutcracker in hand and Felicity warns, "Not running in the house!"

"Sorry, mom!" the kids chant in unison. Their steps slow down for a couple of seconds before they run off again, giggling.

Felicity sighs and lets their misbehavior pass, having more pressing matters to worry about. She turns to look at Oliver, biting her lower lip. "Do you think—" 

She pauses when her cell phone rings and, for a moment, hesitates to pick it up.

"It's your mom, answer it," Oliver prompts. "Talk to her while I'll go and make breakfast before the kids become the kitchen into a war zone. _ We _'ll talk later," he promises, his tone conveying the need for that conversation. 

Nodding, Felicity agrees, "Okay."

Their talk comes much later than what Felicity expects, though. Neither it happens in the way she imagined. After talking with her mother on the phone and eating breakfast, the kids insisted on having a snowball fight outside. Later, Oliver was busy making dinner for today's triple celebration: Christmas, Hanukkah, and their anniversary. 

Knowing that family and friends would be there soon, Felicity helped Mia to get ready. When the guests arrived, the afternoon went by in a blur, filled with joy and laughter. She loves her family and friends, to celebrate with them, but today she wished them to go home early. Her wish was not granted. 

Finally, after lighting the Menorah and having dinner, the guests go home with their bellies full of delicious food that Oliver made. They trooped out the house, everyone getting in their respective cars and driving away. Felicity is glad that the party is over. Once they clean the mess left behind, she and Oliver can talk alone.

First, Oliver goes to tuck sleepy Mia in her bed while Felicity clears the table with William's help. Now that she's alone with her son, it seems a good moment to find out if there's a particular reason why William bought a nutcracker of all things for his baby sister. Yet, Felicity hesitates. She wants to avoid making him suspicious about the gift or her curiosity. William, having inherited her brain, is too clever for his own good sometimes… or Felicity should say, for her sake.

The universe throws a small favor her way. William brings the topic on his own.

"Mia really liked my gift," he says, the grin on his lips telling how proud he is for such a feat.

That's an understatement. Mia _ loved _ the doll. She didn't put it down all day long, not for even a second.

"She did. Good call in choosing that for her." 

Felicity hopes that William doesn't pick up the half-lie. She can't deny that her heart swells with a warm feeling when her children strengthen their fraternal love with moments like that. But neither can she overlook how William's sweet gesture skirts too close on a family secret. Maybe it's time for her and Oliver to be honest with their eldest.

"Where did you buy it?" she asks with a nonchalance she doesn't feel.

"In a little store on Seventh Street. It sells hand-made toys. Mr. Drosselmeyer, the owner is a nice guy."

_ Frak! _ Felicity's stomach drops to the floor and her cheeks lose color. With Drosselmeyer involved, this is definitely _ not _ a coincidence. The dishes that Felicity is holding in her hands rattle as she trembles, just thinking about what this could mean for her and Oliver, for Mia and William.

"Mom, you okay?"

"I'm fine, sweetie." Felicity puts her load in the dishwasher and turns to face her son with what she hopes is a convincing smile. 

It's not. 

William approaches her, with an inquisitive glance so like his father's. One that means he won't be distracted from what he wants to know. "What's up with you, mom? You've been odd all day."

"Have I?"

_ Oh, crap_! And Felicity had thought she had fooled him like she did everybody else.

"Yes!" William emphasizes. "You and dad. Both have been weird today. Are you guys fighting?"

"What? No! Of course not."

"Then, what is it?"

Oliver chooses that moment to reappear in the kitchen. He's prattling about something cute Mia said but he trails off when looks at Felicity and William. His brow creases. "Something wrong?" 

At the same time that Felicity utters a negative, William says, "Yes. I wanna know what's going on between you and mom."

"Between Felicity and I?" Oliver looks at her seeking an explanation but all that Felicity can do is trying to swallow the lump in her throat. Her husband shifts his gaze back to their son. "What do you mean?"

"Both of you have been acting strange today and I want to know why."

Oliver opens his mouth, then he closes it, lost for words. Felicity knows the conflict he's having because it's the same she feels squeezing her chest.

"I think it's time to tell him, Oliver," she croaks. "He's old enough."

William turns sharply to face Felicity, then Oliver. "Tell me what?" his voice is spiked with dread.

Oliver exchanges a glance with Felicity. His eyes are heavy with a mix of worry and wariness.

She can tell that he has doubts about telling the truth, but when she nods wordlessly, he heaves a resigned sigh.

"Tell me what?" William repeats, this time with less dread and more impatience.

"Let's have a seat, okay?"

William gives them a testy look but moves over the kitchen table and sinks into his usual seat. Oliver reaches out for Felicity's hand and both walk toward the table.

"You know that your dad and I first met this day many years ago, right?" Felicity starts as she sits down next to her husband.

"I know that. That's why you got married on this date too."

"Right," Oliver confirms. 

"But we've always implied, to you and everyone else, that we met a year before we became husband and wife."

"You didn't." It's phrased as a statement but there's a hint of uncertainty in Williams's voice.

"The truth is, son, that we met many, many years before."

"Since I was about eight," Felicity clarifies. 

William's brow furrows. "You've known each other for a longer time, so what? Why keep that as a secret?"

"Because no one would believe us if we told the truth about how we met."

"I don't understand."

"I think you need to hear the story from the beginning," Felicity says before launching herself to relate what happened so many winters ago. 

She tells her son that by the end of the year when she was eight years old, just a few months after her father abandoned her and her mother, Felicity passed by a toy store nearby the shabby small apartment she shared with her mother. She was feeling down because she hadn't gotten a present for Hanukkah. By the Jewish tradition, only sometimes small children get gifts and, now she knew, also her mother had struggled with money to keep a roof over their heads. 

Felicity had stared at the store's window, marveled by the toys in it. A particular item drew her attention above the rest. It was a wooden soldier nutcracker.

"An irony, really," she says, "since I'm allergic to nuts. I didn't know why but I couldn't stop watching the soldier."

"So what happened?"

"I met the toymaker and owner of the shop. He saw me outside and came to talk to me. Mr. Drosselmeyer was nice to me and told me I could take the wooden toy home."

The recognition of the name hit William hard, his eyes widen like saucers. "Mr. _ Drosselmeyer_? Could be he the same that I—"

"Drosselmeyer?" Oliver interrupts William, nonplussed. "What does he got to do with you?"

"He sold the toy to William," Felicity explains. 

"But why? He told us that the spell was broken." Oliver's face contorts with fury but, behind that, there's a deep concern. "Don't you think—" Oliver shifts his gaze from Felicity to William, his eyes darkening when his concern turns into bone-freezing dread. "What does this mean?"

"I don't know," Felicity answers quietly, squeezing her husband's hand. "We'll figure it out but, first, let's tell William everything."

"Yes, please, because I'm understanding nothing of what you're saying. Dad, you said spell… as in magic? Magic doesn't exist!"

"Yes, it does," Oliver affirms in a tone that rings with absolute truth.

Felicity reaches for her son's hand. "It really does, sweetie. I wouldn't believe it myself if I hadn't seen with my own eyes how after I took the toy home it became of flesh and bones. I was sleeping when a bright light woke me up. 

"There was a soldier— well, more like a prince," Felicity corrects herself, feeling as a secret smile finds its way to her lips. "There he was, standing where I had put the nutcracker. He was dressed exactly as the toy had been. I couldn't believe what I was seeing." 

William watches her and Oliver as if they're crazy. An understandable reaction but it makes Felicity doubt if she and Oliver did the right thing in telling William the truth.

"I know it's hard to believe, William, but it is true. It did happen. All of the sudden, my bedroom became a battlefield when a platoon of mouse invaded it and Oliver fought them with the help of my other toys."

"I was almost defeated," Oliver grumbles.

"But you weren't. Although I must confess that my shoe hitting the Mouse King in the head was a lucky shot."

Oliver smiles as he lifts Felicity's hand to his lips. "Lucky or not, you save me." Then, he leans forward to kiss her.

"Could you not- ugh!"

Felicity and Oliver break the kiss and turn to look at their son, identical amused smirks forming on their lips. William becomes a little uncomfortable when they show a little too much of what he calls "unnecessary public display of affection".

"Anyway," Felicity continues, composing herself, "the Mouse King and his troops retreated but Oliver needed to follow them because now his home realm was in danger. I want to help so I went with him.

"To make the long story short, we traveled through different fantastic realms until we battled and defeated the Mouse King."

"Then when the adventure ended, I brought your mother back home."

"I was sad that he was leaving so he promised me that he would be back,"

"And I always keep my promises."

"But did you have to make your visits so far in between?" Felicity teases with no real criticism in her voice.

Oliver smirks. "You know I was only able to become human once every year for one day."

Felicity twists her lips. "True." Then she explains to William, "He came back every Christmas Day for over a decade. Each time, I went to his realm to have more adventures. Every year it was harder to say goodbye. I know we spent barely a day together every year but our short time in each other's company was enough for our friendship to grow. 

"I don't know when was the year, the moment when my feelings for him changed. As I grew I loved him as a friend but I wanted more."

"I spent years, aching to see Felicity again and again, even if it was for a day at the time. All I did was think about her. Until seventeen years ago, when I plucked up the courage and kissed her… just before the clock struck midnight."

"I was sure that when I opened my eyes he would no longer be there. My heart broke. But when the clock chimes came and went and I could still feel him hugging me, hope flooded in me."

"I remember the screech you made when you opened your eyes and saw that I was there."

Felicity glares fiercely at Oliver. "I do not screech… ever."

Oliver's lips twitch slightly as if he's fighting a smile. "No, hon. You don't."

Felicity harrumphs, knowing that Oliver says that just to pacify her.

"You're actually telling the truth," a sliver of hope to be mistaken lingers in William's voice.

"It's crazy, impossible, yet true. Your father used to be a nutcracker."

"And what's that of Mr. Drosselmeyer telling you about the- them-magic?" William stutters, barely managing to get the words out.

"After that Christmas when your mother and I kissed, one day we ran into him on the street. As we spoke, he hinted at that he knew what would happen if I found love here. He told me that only a true love kiss could break the spell that had me trapped in the other realm. That now I could live happily ever after."

"So if everything turned out okay, why do I get the feeling that you are worried about me?" William asks, trying to show he's at ease, but Felicity knows him. She can tell that he's worried.

He's not the only one.

Oliver holds his gaze into William's and takes a deep breath before answering him, "The spell I broke had been tied to my family forever. My father and his father and grandfather before him also had their chance to become men of flesh and bone but I guess they never found true love here. 

"The fact that Drosselmeyer has popped back into our lives makes me nervous. He told me that my children wouldn't be under the spell, but I don't know. I want you to have a happy, normal life, Will."

Father and son look at each other for a moment before Oliver prompts in a voice heavy with emotion, "Come here."

William is out of the chair in a second and in the security of his father's embrace the next.

When they pull apart, William says, "Now, I understand what Mr. Drosselmeyer told me. He said that the gift for Mia would mean a lot to her, that in the years to come it'll become the symbol of what love truly means and its great capacity to change destiny."

"Sounds like him," Oliver mutters.

"Maybe," Felicity approaches and speaks with hope flooding into her voice, "he just wanted to give us a sort of memento, something for our kids to know our true love story."

Oliver seems wary about it but says, "Maybe."

"We'll go tomorrow at his store and ask him, though."

"Good thinking."

"But now, let's pick up this mess and go to bed."

Standing outside of the house, a figure shrouded in a dark gray cloak looks at the family through the window. Hidden beneath his hood, the man smiles, reconciling the image of the woman inside with the girl with black piglets standing outside his store so many years ago. In his life as a toymaker, he had met many children but, when he met Felicity, he just knew she was the one who could save the nutcracker prince.

When their son had entered his store a few weeks ago, he couldn't resist the urge to suggest a soft nutcracker as the perfect gift for his sister. It was nothing but a reminder of the great things they had. 

A love like theirs came only once in a hundred lifetimes. 

Content after watching the love that they continue having as a family, Drosselmeyer walks away, slowly and with the weight of his years dragging him down. After a moment, his figure gets lost in the shadows.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you've enjoyed the story. If you did, let me know in the comments.
> 
> I want to apologize to any Jewish reader for my badly-represented, much-vague, and, probably, astronomically inaccurate portrait of Hanukkah/Jewish traditions of which I know nothing about.


End file.
